With Italy’s culinary traditions spanning thousands of years, it’s no wonder that the Italians are so attached to their cuisine. Dario Laurenzi, CEO and founder of Laurenzi Consulting, describes the country’s F&B landscape. In Italy, trends in the F&B sector are influenced by global ideas that promote healthier lifestyles and sustainability, as well as the rediscovery of gastronomic heritage. A current theme that’s evident on an international scale and prominent in new forms of Italian cuisine is food sustainability. Even within the world of haute gastronomy, many Michelin-starre ..read more

The highly anticipated opening of Aloft Muscat in spring 2023 is expected to mark the brand’s debut in the Sultanate of Oman. Designed for the next generation of traveler, the hotel will be a vibrant destination and will feature eclectic spaces, distinctive design, live music programming and 199 modern loft-style guestrooms complete with the brand’s signature amenities. The hotel is expected to feature three dining outlets, including a Californian-style eatery, an international restaurant with a Mediterranean twist and the brand’s signature bar W XYZ®.  Other facilities will includ ..read more

Fadeel Wehbe, Marriott International’s multi-property general manager at Le Méridien Dubai Hotel & Conference Centre and Le Méridien Fairway, has expanded his role by taking on an additional four hotels: Centre Aloft Al Mina, Aloft Airport, Element Al Mina and Element Airport. Currently, Wehbe is in charge of Le Méridien Fairway and Le Méridien Dubai Hotel & Conference Centre, which features 17 food and beverage outlets, including Warehouse, The Dubliner’s, Yalumba, Kiku, Bounty Beets and Casa Mia. In his new role, Wehbe will be responsible for a total of 1,245 rooms, 29 food and bev ..read more

Aleph Hospitality appoints Tariq Yousef Dowidar as vice president for Saudi Arabia. To support its growth strategy in the kingdom, the company also intends to add further resources to the Saudi team over the course of the year. An accomplished Saudi hotelier with around 26 years of hospitality experience, Dowidar has held several key positions, such as area general manager of IHG government hotels and general manager of InterContinental Riyadh Bani Haddad, founder and managing director of Aleph Hospitality, commented: “We are very happy to be welcoming Tariq to the Aleph corporate team. Our ..read more

The 82-story architectural wonder, which is on track to become the world’s tallest hotel, is the focal point of The First Group’s rapidly expanding collection of world-class hotels that have set a new industry benchmark in the UAE. From a design perspective, Ciel is undoubtedly The First Group’s largest and most complex development to date. The building itself encapsulates the power of integrated design, a multi-layered, simultaneous process necessary in the creation of complex superstructures. Designed in conjunction with The First Group’s long-term architectural partner, NORR, Ciel boasts ..read more

With extensive chief executive leadership experience in global hospitality, leisure and fast-moving consumer goods, Federico J. González CEO of Radisson Hotel Group believes that a true leader is one who serves. We took time out with the hotelier to discuss the market and some of the key trends shaping it.  How is the regional travel and hospitality investment industry faring compared to other markets?According to industry standards such as STR and many hotel groups, the travel industry is expected to recover by the second half of 2023. We are cautiously optimistic that our recovery wil ..read more

Marvin Alballi is an award-winning food and beverage executive. With over two decades of international experience managing franchise chains, celebrity chef restaurants, independent establishments and global hotel F&B operations, he tells us more about his book “Restaurant Excellence” and the secrets of the trade.  What are the main differences between F&B service and hospitality?In the restaurant industry, F&B professionals often refer to both service and hospitality as “guest service.” However, there is a major difference between the two. Understanding the difference a ..read more

In an exclusive interview, John Pagano, the CEO of Red Sea Global, gives us a sneak peek into the ground-breaking regenerative tourism destination The Red Sea and discusses a bold plan to forge a new relationship between luxury tourism and the natural world. The Red Sea will be ready to welcome the first guests in 2023. What can guests look forward to experiencing and who are your targeted clientele?The Red Sea offers an unparalleled stay of sustainable luxury in a spectacular setting of idyllic islands, vibrant coral reefs, dormant volcanoes and dramatic dunescapes. Gues ..read more

Chef Anissa Helou is not only the winner of the Foodics Icon Award for Middle East & North Africa’s 50 Best Restaurants 2023, but she is also a renowned cookbook author who popularized Levantine cuisine on an international level. In this exclusive interview, she explains how she got to where she is today. How did this journey come about?At first, I wanted to write a book about collecting art but then began writing about food following a ca chance meeting with my literary agent and a Lebanese friend as they discussed cookbooks. I decided to write a book on Lebanese cuisine cent ..read more

 In an interview for Hospitality News ME, Hodema consulting services caught up with Firas Mando, chairman of Almond & Beyond Iraq, to find out more about his pastry concept and how it is leaving a mark on the Iraqi pastry scene.  What can you tell us about Almond & Beyond? In 1968, Homs-Syria, Almond & Beyond bakery and pastry opened its doors as a modest, family-run business. It provided baked goods, pastries, bread, ice cream, chocolates and confectionery to the Homs region with 65 employees. Many of the products were manually prepared. In 2014, Al ..read more